Mother charged in Monae Turnage case held on $500k bond

The 49-year-old woman who police say helped her son and another youth try to conceal the shooting death of 13-year-old Monae Turnage was taken into custody and is being held on $500,000 bond.

The hefty bail amount for Veronica Alford, who turned herself in early Wednesday, was first set by a District Court commissioner, but reaffirmed at a morning bail reviewing hearing at Central Booking, court records show.

"It's beyond high - it's offensively outrageous," said Alford's attorney, Isaac Klein, who said he argued at the hearing that Alford was not a flight risk, had no previous criminal record, and was not a threat to public safety because her alleged involvement came after the fact. "Given the factors used to determine what a reasonable bail should be, it is clear that this was done punitively and is greatly outrageous."

Alford was charged Friday with being an accessory after the fact, obstructing and hindering a police investigation, and giving false statements to officers during their investigation into the shooting.

They allege that she helped drag Monae's body into an alley behind the home - police say her DNA was found on the girl's body - and then hid the gun in the car of city police officer John Ward. Ward was cleared of criminal wrongdoing over the summer when prosecutors declined to pursue charges.

A preliminary hearing has been tentatively set for Nov. 27 in District Court. Klein said he will be filing a petition in Circuit Court to have Alford's bail adjusted.

Alford's son, Martinez Armstrong, who was charged with reckless endangerment because police say he left a rifle where the youth could access it, is being held without bond.